Where to get a ruck for training?

June 25th, 2012, 12:39 PM

Hello all,

At my most recent RSP I was speaking to an Officer candidate who was doing some extra work helping out our RSP company. He is an 11B and since I'm the only 11B (or combat arms in general) recruit he was giving me some pointers on my upcoming trip to Ft. Benning. He suggested I get a ruck sack, load it with some weight and go on some ruck marches in a local state park. I found this a great idea and now I'm on the lookout for a ruck to use.

I'd like to get as close as possible to what I'll be using in OSUT and beyond, so I'm asking for suggestions. Do you think a regular camping/ hiking pack would suffice or should I attempt to locate a current issue-style ruck? If the latter do you have any suggestions as to where I may find one? We have an army-surplus store nearby but they're very expensive, being the only store locally.

At my most recent RSP I was speaking to an Officer candidate who was doing some extra work helping out our RSP company. He is an 11B and since I'm the only 11B (or combat arms in general) recruit he was giving me some pointers on my upcoming trip to Ft. Benning. He suggested I get a ruck sack, load it with some weight and go on some ruck marches in a local state park. I found this a great idea and now I'm on the lookout for a ruck to use.

I'd like to get as close as possible to what I'll be using in OSUT and beyond, so I'm asking for suggestions. Do you think a regular camping/ hiking pack would suffice or should I attempt to locate a current issue-style ruck? If the latter do you have any suggestions as to where I may find one? We have an army-surplus store nearby but they're very expensive, being the only store locally.

Thanks very much for the help and suggestions-

Josh S.

It doesn't hurt to ask if your unit can hand-receipt you a "Rifleman" set (which includes the ruck). That way you don't have to go out of pocket and purchase a ruck on your own.

Try Craigslist. You probably won't find ACU patterned rucks, but you will probably find an ALICE pack that will suit your needs until you get to Benning. Probably in the neighborhood of $40-$60 bucks, tops.

Comment

if worse comes to worse, you can always just get a sturdy bookbag, like what you use in school, and fill it up with different heavy things and walk around, just to build up your legs and upper back. when you get down there though, they know that people are not used to rucking. You will start with a 2 mile, then 4 miles a week and a half later, then 6, 8, 10, and finally the 12 mile after your ftx, which tends to run about 15 miles. dont worry, you will be fine.

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I picked up a barely used large alice rucksack off ebay for $40. I bought it for a mud run as I didn't want to use my unit issued rucksack for fear that I might destoy it on the obstacle course.

If you do start to ruck on your own start slow and easy. 25lbs and 3 miles. Work on getting your form down as there is more to it then just walking with a back pack on your shoulders. Short choppy steps with a focus on mid foot striking. The movement could be comparable to riding a stationary bike. After you have developed good form then move the weight up to 30lbs and 4 miles with a goal of completion in less than 1 hour. If you can accomplish this then bump up to 35lbs and 4 miles in less than 1 hour. For new recruits I don't recommend going much beyond 4 miles and 40lbs. The most I would recommend would be 6 miles and 40lbs. You will be expected to do much more than this in the infantry of course but for now form and function is more important. Oh and before I forget, ABSOLUTELY NO RUNNING! With propper form there is no need to run. It is most certainly possible to ruck at a 12:30 per mile pace with zero running, all it takes is practice and conditioning.

For me, the worst part about rucking is your rifle. You are not allowed a lot of flexibility when carrying it and it starts to feel as heavy as the ruck itself. Without one, you're free to swing your arms as you walk...making the overall march a little more comfortable.

Comment

For me, the worst part about rucking is your rifle. You are not allowed a lot of flexibility when carrying it and it starts to feel as heavy as the ruck itself. Without one, you're free to swing your arms as you walk...making the overall march a little more comfortable.

True, and 10x worse if you are the unlucky *** hole with the 240B. The only thing that helps with the 240 is to run the sling over the top of the newer rucks so that the rucksack frame takes some of the weight.

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Thanks for the ideas everyone. I ended up just using a frameless backpack for a mini-ruck yesterday. Went 2.5 miles in our state park... Wasn't too bad except for the huge blisters on the back of my heels!

I do hope to find a current issue pack like the one I'll use in OSUT but if I can't I think this setup will work just fine.

Comment

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I ended up just using a frameless backpack for a mini-ruck yesterday. Went 2.5 miles in our state park... Wasn't too bad except for the huge blisters on the back of my heels!

I do hope to find a current issue pack like the one I'll use in OSUT but if I can't I think this setup will work just fine.

Why do you have huge blisters? Were you rucking in boots? My OSM shared with me his secret for training for ruck marches. Ruck in tennis shoes, so then you are still strenghtening your back, practicing your gait and stregthening your core but not tearing up your feet. You will be issued boots at BCT so any you try and break in now will not be going with you, so save your feet.

I am currently breaking in a couple new pair of boots to take with me to OSC, but I do not ruck in them, I simply wear them to drill or take short jogs in them to break them down. I wear tennis shoes when I ruck so I can focus on my gait (I am only about 5'4'' and spent most of BCT running on ruck marches to keep up....BAD idea), get used to increased weight and decreasing my time.

At basic I made sure I selected boots that weren't too tight, kept my feet dry and put moleskin on the heel hot spot of THE BOOT, not my skin and I never had even ONE blister at basic training.

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By using boots(the right size for your feet) while rucking in your off time you are toughening up your feet. Eventually you will develope callouses and it will take longer and heavier marches to cause blisters. The kind of socks you wear will also play a huge role in how bad of blisters you get. The basic issue socks blow for ruck marching, the only thing you can really do is wear your dress socks inside out as a liner. I also recommend wearing the basic issue socks inside out so the seam on the toes doesn't rub on your skin.

You can also cut your boot laces in two, this way you can tie the bottom of the boot tight like a running shoe and the top of the boot more loose to accomodate your calves as they expand during the march. You won't be able to do this in basic or AIT but when you get back you can do it to your field boots. I highly recommend it as I saw a good reduction in hot spots. Also, keep in mind that your feet will expand during a ruck march, so if your boots are ever so slightly tight while wearing them normaly or in garrison then they will become a PITA on a ruck. This is why I have a garrison boot and a field/ruck march boot. My field boots are 1/2 size bigger than my garrison boots.

Lastly, basic issue boots can weigh a good 5lbs more than a pair of running shoes. While it doesn't sound like a lot it can make a difference if you are training with running shoes and then switch to a heavier and bulkier boot. So if you end up training with running shoes I still recommend getting a few ruck marches in with actual boots before you head to basic and AIT.